Over 22,700 disabled Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants have lost their benefits entirely after failing to respond to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) migration letters, according to newly released figures. The data shows that 22,687 ESA claimants did not make a claim to Universal Credit (UC) by their migration deadline, representing 2.6% of the total. In Wales, 1,127 claimants were affected, equivalent to 2%.
The figures come as the DWP continues its managed migration from legacy benefits to Universal Credit, a process that will scrap six older benefits including ESA. Claimants receive a 'managed migration notice' giving them three months to apply for UC. However, some have failed to act, leading to their cases being closed and a total loss of income.
Joel Davies, Policy and Research Officer at the Bevan Foundation, warned that some individuals may have lost access to essential social security support entirely. He described the situation as a 'safeguarding issue' as termed by disability groups, and urged the DWP to 'up its candour' and set out how it plans to find and assist those who have fallen out of the benefits system.
The DWP has previously hailed the conclusion of the migration process as a 'gargantuan task', but Davies stressed that no efforts should be spared to support any sick and disabled claimants who have lost out. The managed migration rollout is expected to continue until March 2026.
